Aqueous sprayable compositions can be applied to a hard surface with a transient trigger spray device or an aerosol spray device. These compositions have great utility because they can be applied by spray to vertical, overhead or inclined surfaces. Spray devices create a spray pattern of the aqueous sprayable composition that contacts the target hard surfaces. The majority of the sprayable composition comes to reside on the target surface as large sprayed-on deposits, while a small portion of the sprayable composition may become an airborne aerosol or mist, which consists of small particles of the cleaning composition that can remain suspended or dispersed in the atmosphere surrounding the dispersal site for a period of time, such as between about 5 seconds to about 10 minutes. Suspension and dispersion makes these particles available for ingestion by the user and can pose a health risk, particularly if proteins or other enzymes are inhaled.
Enzymes are important constituents in modern detergent products. They are proteins which catalyze chemical reactions and they break down soils and stains. Enzymes are allergens and can cause respiratory allergy similar to other allergens like pollen, dust mites and animal dander. When allergens are inhaled in the form of dust or aerosols they may give rise to formation of specific antibodies which can result in sensitization by the immune system. Upon further exposure people can develop respiratory allergy with symptoms similar to those of asthma and hay-fever. These symptoms can include itching and redness of the mucous membranes, water eyes/nose, sneezing, nasal or sinus congestion, hoarseness of shortness of breath, coughing, and tightness of the chest. Proteolytic enzymes can cause eye irritation, and skin irritation.
Long term exposure to these irritants, through repetitive application can cause significant problems. Many times upon breathing the finely divided aerosol or mist, a very strong and irrepressible choking response is seen in most individuals that come in contact with irritating proportions of the aerosol produced by typical spray-on cleaners. The choking response is inconvenient, reduces cleaning efficiency in a variety of applications and in sensitive individuals can cause asthma attacks, respiratory damage, or other discomfort or injury.
It generally thought that reducing aerosolization of enzymes involves increasing the viscosity of the solutions or is limited to application of only naturally viscous solutions. Enzyme aerosolization, however, is dependent on a number of different parameters, e.g. formulation, enzyme concentration in product, habits and practices of the consumer and nozzle device. High viscosity formulations and foam-sprays were thought to generate lower enzyme exposure than liquid formulations of low viscosity.
Applicants have identified methods for application of water thin and other low viscosity enzyme containing solutions thus reducing the proteins present in any airborne aerosol or mist associated with the same. The following summary is made by way of example and not by way of limitation. It is merely provided to aid the reader in understanding some of the aspects of the invention.